1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a portable box.
2. Description of the Related Art
In Ger. OSs 31 16 198 and 30 13 180, a portable insulated container, e.g. in the form of a box-shaped so-called cooler, is described, wherein at least part of the container wall is comprised of light-transparent insulating material. This feature is intended to enable the cashier of a retail establishment to inspect the contents of the container without the need to remove any of the cooled or frozen goods therefrom. Thus the insulated container can provide continuous protection for the purchased goods from the refrigerator or freezer of the retail establishment to the private refrigerator or freezer of the purchaser.
A cooler which is suited to the stated purpose, which cooler is described in the cited publications, has the disadvantage of being too bulky. It becomes particularly inconvenient to carry a somewhat large cooler if it turns out that the goods one wishes are not in stock in the retail establishment, so that the cooler must be brought home empty.
In Ger. OS 38 17 871, a temperature-controlled cooler is described which has a separate chamber to accommodate a cooling source in the form of a cooling medium or other reservoir of cold. A device for circulating air is also provided in the box. The box is large and heavy, and capable of carrying only a relatively small volume of goods.
Ger. Pat. 4,311,142 C2 discloses a shipping box which has a sliding side wall to receive the goods in the box. The box folds up, but the folding process is very complex. Ger. Gebrauchsmuster 1,693,496 discloses a collapsible carrying container which is very difficult to set up after collapsing.